They issued the following joint statement: ![]() Joe Wilson (SC-02) today condemned the shutdown of Novaya Gazeta in Russia, following the decision of a Moscow court to strip the outlet of its print media registration. Roger Wicker (MS), and Ranking Member Rep. WASHINGTON-Helsinki Commission Chairman Sen. House of Representatives “deplores all forms of political repression and imprisonment” and supports State Department efforts to call attention the problem. The resolution calls attention to repressive regimes engaged in “systematic destruction of independent voices, including but not limited to the Russian and Belarusian Governments.” It clarifies that October 30 was chosen because on October 30, 1974, “Soviet human rights activists and dissidents initiated the idea of marking the day of political prisoners in the USSR and consequently held a hunger strike that day while in jail.” WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, and the Commission’s Ranking Member, Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02), today introduced a resolution recognizing October 30 as International Day of Political Prisoners.Ĭongressman Cohen was recently named the Special Representative on Political Prisoners by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly and has been speaking out and calling attention to the treatment of an estimated 1 million political opponents, dissidents, academics, human rights activists, journalists and others worldwide imprisoned for their commitment to democracy and transparency. President Zourabichvili has shown herself to be an outspoken and principled leader for Georgian democracy and has an opportunity to continue to cement this legacy, advance Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic dream, and perform a significant humanitarian service by using her pardon powers to address the ongoing cycle of political prosecution.Ĭlick the PDF icon above to view the letter. ![]() Gvaramia is an essential step towards EU candidacy for Georgia, and an important humanitarian gesture. Releasing political prisoners such as Mr. His imprisonment, on spurious charges, is a violation of his human rights and an affront to Georgia’s democracy. Nikoloz Gvaramia, an outspoken media figure and political activist. In the letter, the legislators cite the case of Mr. ![]() Helsinki Commission, Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02), Co-Chairman Senator Ben Cardin (MD), and Ranking Members Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Senator Roger Wicker (MS) sent a letter to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili urging her to intervene to break the cycle of political prosecution in the country. WASHINGTON- The leadership of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Staff Contact: Jordan Warlick, policy advisor Helsinki Commissioners have paid particular attention to the problem of impunity for those who murder journalists, attacks on or imprisonment of journalists for their professional activities, disinformation in the OSCE region, and provisions of laws that inherently violate free speech norms including criminal defamation and insult laws. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media works to ensure the safety of journalists, assist with the development of media pluralism online and offline, and hold participating States accountable for any economic, legal, and extralegal measures to restrict independent journalists and outlets. In the Helsinki Final Act, OSCE participating States recognized the essential and influential role of press and media, and commited themselves to improving access to information and working conditions for journalists. Freedom of the media is the fundamental right of various forms of media-including print, radio, television, and online media-to operate freely in society without government control, restriction, or censorship.
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